1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates generally to the processing of coatings of aggregate materials of varying sizes to distribute the aggregate in a level layer or coating over a fragile membrane such as rubber, plastic, or the like.
2. Prior Art
A search for a suitable rake to perform the objects of my invention has failed to disclose a device possessing the desired characteristics. One form of rake that has been attempted for use in performing the leveling of an uneven layer of aggregate material on a surface has been the common asphalt rake typically used in the road construction industry for distributing asphalt over a surface prior to the rolling or compacting operation. Other forms of garden and other special purpose rakes have been tried, but none have provided the novel and unobvious advantages of my invention.
The following is a listing of United States Patents that were collected in the course of a pre-filing search of the records of the U.S. Patent Office, and none of them are considered relevant or pertinent to the objectives provided by my invention:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee Issue Date ______________________________________ 2,317,916 Kallal April 27, 1943 4,414,797 Archer Nov. 15, 1983 Des.274,118 Cochrane June 5, 1984 4,520,621 Archer June 4, 1985 Des.282,621 Nuorivaara Feb. 18, 1986 ______________________________________
Of the above listing patents, the Archer U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,797 includes a raking element of serpentine configuration. However, the purposes and operation thereof are considered highly dissimilar to those of my invention.